Ozgur Sahin (PI, Professor)
Ozgur Sahin is a Professor and SmartState Endowed Chair in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Hollings Cancer Center (HCC) at Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), Charleston, SC. He is also the Program Director for HART Basic Science Translation and a Co-leader of Breast Transdisciplinary Team at the NCI-designated HCC at MUSC. He earned his Ph.D. degree (summa cum laude) in cancer systems biology/cell biology at German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the University of Heidelberg in 2008. Previously, he held positions as a research team leader in the Division of Molecular Genome Analysis at DKFZ, as a research faculty in the Department of Molecular & Cellular Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), as an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics at Bilkent University and as an associate professor in the Department of Drug Discovery & Biomedical Sciences at University of South Carolina (USC). Dr. Sahin is a member of EMBO-YIN member and a former American Cancer Society Research Scholar. Dr. Sahin published more than 80 peer-reviewed papers in the field of cancer research in high impact international journals (e.g., PNAS, Cancer Cell, Nature Communications, Cell Research, Molecular Systems Biology, CDD, Cancer Research, etc.) and filed multiple patent applications. His research led to the discovery and development of new anti-cancer agents or combination therapies being tested in clinics. To date, he has received multiple funding (as PI) for his research from the EMBO, European Union FP7 Program, TUBITAK, American Cancer Society, National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense. Dr. Sahin has received many awards, including TUSEB Aziz Sancar (Nobel Laureate) Science Incentive Award from the Health Institutes of Turkey, Outstanding Young Scientist (GEBIP) Award from Turkish Academy of Sciences, USC Research Excellence Award, and MUSC Research Excellence Award.
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Bill Xingjun Wu (Research Assistant Professor)
I am a researcher with over 20 years of training and experience in biomedical research and have a long-standing interest in developing novel therapeutic strategies against cancers. So, after acquiring my Ph.D. at MUSC in 2004, I joined the laboratory of Dr. Yusuf Hannun, a well-known cancer biologist. As a postdoctoral fellow, I investigated the biochemical properties of sphingolipid enzymes and their roles and regulations of sphingolipids in inflammation and cancer. In 2012, I became a junior faculty member in Dr. Zihai Li’s team at MUSC. GARP plays an essential role in regulating the immunosuppressive cytokine, TGFβ. We have discovered significant elevations of GARP expressions in multiple tumors. I have successfully developed antibodies and CAR-T against GARP for cancer therapy. From 2022 to 2024, I worked at Biocytogen Boston Corporation as a senior scientist and project manager in the pharmacology team, where I completed pharmacology projects and provided technical consultation for CRO pharmacology services. At present, in Dr. Sahin’s lab, I’m focusing on projects developing novel small molecule drugs to target therapy-resistant TNBC and ccRCC.
Ozlem Sener Sahin (Lab Manager)
I obtained my bachelor degree in Biology from the Department of Biology at Erciyes University and completed my MSc degree in Teaching Biology at Baskent University. Later on, I started my “Diplomarbeit” at the Department of Biology at University of Heidelberg; however, I had to quit my study due to maternity leave. During my education, I actively participated in biological research, especially in cancer research. I worked as a part-time research assistant at German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) where I mainly focused on functional genomics studies in the identification of novel oncogenes. Then, I worked at Bilkent University and the University of South Carolina as a research lab manager/technician before joining MUSC. I have been actively participated in breast cancer research to identify novel drug targets overcoming resistance to standard chemo- or targeted therapy agents. I have extensive experience in breeding genetically engineered mice, genotyping, xenograft generation, oral, IP and IV injections for drug treatments as well as mice surgery. In addition to bench work, I have long-term experience in ordering lab material, arranging shipments, organizing laboratory and generating and updating animal and biosafety protocols.
Burge Ulukan Altun (Postdoctoral Fellow)
I graduated from Genetics and Bioengineering Department at Yeditepe University in 2015. Then, I completed my MSc degree in Biotechnology at Yeditepe University in 2017. I have a PhD degree in Cellular and Molecular Medicine from Koc University. During my graduate studies, I learned a lot of molecular techniques such as primary cell isolation, genetic and epigenetic manipulation techniques including CRISPR systems, pyrosequencing, and precision cut ex-vivo slices technology. My research interests revolve around understanding of the signaling pathways involved in cell-cell and cell-ECM interactions and seeking novel cancer-specific biomarkers.
Ozge Saatci (Postdoctoral Fellow)
I am a Postdoctoral Fellow working on mechanisms of drug resistance and metastasis in cancer. I graduated from the Department of Chemical Engineering at METU in 2013 (ranked 3rd in university), and earned my MSc degree in cancer cell biology and drug resistance at Bilkent University in 2016. Then I earned my PhD degree at MUSC in 2023. I have extensive training in basic and advanced molecular, cellular and translational cancer research, involving the generation and use of various in vitro cell systems, as well as the use of state-of-the-art mouse models of breast cancer. My postdoctoral studies focus on elucidating the role of key proteins in resistance to chemotherapy, hormone therapy and targeted therapy in different subtypes of breast cancer.
Wisdom Maduabuchi (Postdoctoral Fellow)
I am a Postdoctoral Fellow working on the therapeutic potentials of regulators of key vulnerabilities in cancer. I have a BSc degree in Cell biology & Genetics from the University of Lagos (First class honors). I earned my MSc degree in Biomedical sciences from the University of Chester (Distinction). After which I obtained a PhD in molecular medicine from the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (magna cum laude) where I worked on the effect of magnetic hyperthermia on tumor angiogenesis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. I am well-versed in both fundamental and cutting-edge cellular and translational cancer research. I have extensive experience with various in vitro and preclinical assays. My research interests’ border on understanding the mechanism of key vulnerabilities in cancer and exploring those mechanisms to develop novel therapeutics.
Kubra Calisir Unsal (PhD Candidate)
I am a PhD candidate at Sahin’s Lab. I graduated from the Department of Biology at Middle East Technical University in 2020. Then I earned my MSc degree at Bilkent University in 2022. In my MSc thesis project, I developed an app to predict breast cancer subtypes using machine learning. I have extensive training in bioinformatics and analysis of various datasets such as microarray, RNA-seq, and single-cell RNA-seq. My Ph.D. project focuses on elucidating the role of proteins in DNA damage and chromosomal instability and their effects on the immune system in solid tumors.
Baris Cerci (PhD Student)
I am a visiting scholar at Sahin Lab. I graduated from the School of Medicine at Hacettepe University in 2024. During my undergraduate, I worked with Dr. Aytekin Akyol, MD, at the Department of Pathology at Hacettepe University, on the roles of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer, as well as its role in the regulation of energy balance, especially in the context of cancer cachexia. At Sahin Lab, I will be working on the molecular mechanisms of cell invasion in centrosome amplified cancer models. I will also investigate mechanisms of drug resistance in specific subtypes of breast cancer.
I like hiking in nature, riding bicycle, macro-photography and reading scientific literature. I am also an expert on insect taxonomy.
Thomas Geiger (MD Flex Student)
I am a second-year medical student who will be spending my flex research period in Dr. Sahin’s laboratory. I earned my BSc in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of South Carolina, graduating from the South Carolina Honors College in 2023. As an undergraduate student, I was a member of Dr. Susan Richardson’s research group, completing my honors thesis on the quantification of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in South Carolina surface waters. For this work, I earned the American Chemical Society Division of Environmental Chemistry Undergraduate Award and the American Chemical Society Division of Analytical Chemistry Undergraduate Award. I also worked as a summer intern for Fox Chase Therapeutics Discovery Inc., learning foundational biological techniques such as western blotting, live cell imaging, and cell culture. I am interested in specializing in Hematology and Oncology and will be researching epigenetic mechanisms of drug resistance within ER+ breast cancer in the Sahin laboratory.
Ana Sophia McGowan (Student Intern)
I am working in Sahin’s lab as a BLOCKs scholar. I am an undergraduate at the College of Charleston and I plan to graduate with a biology major with a minor in neuroscience and Spanish. I have experience working in neuroscience labs with cell staining, PCR, and gel electrophoresis. At Sahin’s lab I will be working on a project involving overcoming resistance pathways in cancer.